Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is setting the record straight on swirling retirement rumors while offering insight into the next chapter of Star Wars, nearly five decades after the franchise first took flight.
Speculation over Kennedy’s potential departure reached a fever pitch this week, with reports suggesting she could step down later this year, marking a significant shift for the legendary studio. The Hollywood Reporter noted that former Lucasfilm executive Rayne Roberts had been viewed as a potential successor, though her recent move to a senior VP role at Searchlight Pictures changed that equation.
Among the names reportedly under consideration for the top job is Lucasfilm’s current Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni, whose Star Wars credentials span from The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels to live-action successes like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. His longtime collaborator Jon Favreau is also seen as a contender, given his instrumental role in launching Star Wars’ streaming era. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, once attached to a now-canceled Star Wars film, has also been floated, alongside J.J. Abrams, former 20th Century Studios executive Emma Watts, and Netflix’s Hannah Minghella.
Kennedy Responds to Retirement Speculation
Despite the mounting reports, Kennedy remains firm in her stance: she’s not going anywhere just yet. In an interview with Deadline, Kennedy stated definitively that she has no plans to retire from filmmaking, saying she would “die” making movies.
“What’s happening at Lucasfilm is I have been talking for quite some time with both Bob [Iger, Disney CEO] and Alan [Bergman, Disney Entertainment] about what eventual succession might look like,” she explained. “We have an amazing bench of people here, and we have every intention of making an announcement months or a year down the road.”
Kennedy’s remarks make clear that while Lucasfilm is planning for the future, her exit is not imminent. But while leadership remains in flux, so too does the studio’s approach to Star Wars on the big screen.
The State of Star Wars Movies
Since the conclusion of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars’ cinematic future has remained uncertain. While Kennedy announced three new films at 2023’s Star Wars Celebration, another unexpected project has now taken priority—The Mandalorian and Grogu, set for release in May 2026.
Meanwhile, James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi film and Filoni’s interconnected Mando-Verse project remain in development, while Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker-focused film has gained a new writer, fueling speculation about its standalone nature. Projects from Shawn Levy and Patty Jenkins have also been linked to the franchise, but for now, Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu is the only film with a confirmed release window. Notably, Disney recently adjusted its 2026 schedule, swapping a previously planned Star Wars film for Ice Age 6 from 20th Century Studios.
A New Star Wars Era on the Horizon
The biggest shakeup, however, came with the late 2024 reveal that Simon Kinberg had been tapped to spearhead a new trilogy, signaling a fresh direction for the saga.
“We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously. That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June,” Kennedy said. “Simon, if you remember, he did some work with us years ago with the animated show, which was a really wonderful collaborative experience. And he then got very, very busy with X-Men and then recently became available again, and he segued into this space beautifully. We’re really excited about where that’s headed.”
Kennedy’s comments suggest that Kinberg’s trilogy will mark a significant departure from the Skywalker Saga. “This is the next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future,” she revealed.
Adding to that, Kennedy confirmed that Shawn Levy’s standalone Star Wars project, rumored to star Academy Award-nominee Ryan Gosling, will go into production following The Mandalorian and Grogu. Like Kinberg’s trilogy, it will take place after the events of Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
“That’s also in the future. It’s all post-[the first] nine. Shawn’s is a standalone Star Wars story that’ll take place post-nine, maybe five or six years out. And Mandalorian really stands on its own because there, we’re dealing with a whole other era in the New Republic. We have other development going on in that space as well. So that’s the space that we’re pretty much focused on right at the moment, because obviously with Mandalorian we have a pretty good sense of where that’s going. And with this, it’s all pretty much new characters. We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters.”
While Star Wars’ big-screen output has been in limbo, Kennedy’s latest comments provide the clearest vision yet for the franchise’s next chapter, hinting at a fresh creative direction with new characters and narratives. Notably, she also addressed Taika Waititi’s long-discussed Star Wars film, which had been rumored to be scrapped, saying that it is still in play but awaiting a scheduling window.
The Disney Era of Star Wars
Lucasfilm has seen major shifts since Disney’s $4.05 billion acquisition in 2012. Just three years later, Kennedy spearheaded the release of Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens (2015), a massive box office success that reintroduced legacy characters like Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), alongside a new generation of heroes and villains, like Daisy Ridley’s Rey and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren/Ben Solo.
However, the sequel trilogy remains one of the franchise’s most divisive chapters. Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII—The Last Jedi (2017) sparked debate among fans, and J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker left many dissatisfied with its approach to concluding the saga. In response, Lucasfilm pivoted to streaming, delivering hits like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka. Still, not every series—such as The Acolyte—has resonated with audiences to the same degree.
What’s Next for Star Wars?
Lucasfilm’s evolving strategy suggests a deliberate shift in tone, storytelling, and character focus as it moves beyond the Skywalker Saga. With multiple projects in development and Kinberg’s trilogy set to usher in a new era, the studio is betting on a fresh creative direction.
How do you feel about Star Wars‘ future? Let us know in the comments!
